Kimberly Van Der Beek shares AI photos imagining life with late husband James in the 1980s

Kimberly continues honouring James through memories of their marriage and six children

Kimberly Van Der Beek has shared a series of AI generated images imagining what life with her late husband James Van Der Beek might have looked like in the 1980s, offering another glimpse into how she continues to remember the actor following his death earlier this year.

Kimberly, 44, shared the images through an Instagram Story. The collection featured five AI generated pictures depicting the couple in imagined 1980s settings and outfits. The images included looks featuring double denim, loose fitting white shirts, chunky belts and cowboy hats.

Alongside the images, Kimberly wrote, “Felt like a solid use of AI today,” before explaining the idea behind the collection. She also asked ChatGPT to imagine what she might have looked like during the decade, turning the technology into a way of revisiting an era she never actually experienced with James as a couple.

The post comes nearly seven months after James died at the age of 48 following his battle with colorectal cancer. His death was announced by his family on February 11, 2026. Kimberly shared a statement describing her husband as having passed peacefully and said he faced his final days with courage, faith and grace.

James was best known for playing Dawson Leery in the teen drama Dawson’s Creek, which ran from 1998 to 2003. He also appeared in films including Varsity Blues and The Rules of Attraction, while later television credits included CSI: Cyber and Pose. His death followed a public battle with colorectal cancer that he had first discussed publicly in 2024.

Kimberly has continued to share memories of James since his death, frequently using social media to reflect on their relationship and family life. In August, she marked what would have been their 16th wedding anniversary with a collection of photographs of the couple and their children.

On August 1, she wrote that she had been “the luckiest woman in the world” when she married James and expressed gratitude for the family they created together. The couple married in 2010 and had six children: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn and Jeremiah.

Her recent AI post follows another tribute shared in June, when Kimberly posted throwback photographs of herself and James alongside memories of his relationship with their children. She wrote that love does not die and reflected on the way James remained connected to the family through the memories they shared.

The couple’s children have remained central to Kimberly’s public reflections since James’ death.